Comfort
by Alexriolover95
Summary: Duke is still haunted by his time in the pound, but it's a good thing Max is there to comfort him. Rated T, to be safe.


**Hey guys!**

 **So, since I written the "Dreams" one shot, I been doing some thinking… And well… Here's the reason of the thinking!**

 **Also, my very good FFN sister, ShadowDragonGhost13 has written an SLP story called, "Heart to Heart", I suggest you check it out if you didn't, it's pretty good and funny!**

 **And now for the story!**

* * *

It was nighttime in New York City and in the apartment where Max the Jack Russell terrier and Duke the shaggy mongrel lived, they were sleeping separately in their beds in the living room. Max was smiling in his sleep, all snuggled up and cozy in his little bed. His life was indeed perfect and even more so now that he has Duke with him. Speaking of Duke, the mongrel was sleeping in a bigger bed a little bit apart from Max, Duke was not having a very good sleep…

Duke was having nightmares of the time he spent in the pound. That cold, damp, and dark prison for dogs, either waiting to be put down or luckily be adopted by someone wanting to take a new dog. Duke avoided being gone for good when Katie came and took him in, but Duke thought about what would happen if Katie never came…

"I'm never going to get out of here…" Duke said in his nightmare, imagining that he was back in the pound. "I never should have chased that butterfly… Or was it a car?"

Duke was confined in that little cage that he barely had room in, with a hard, stone cold floor underneath. To the right and left of Duke were his neighbors, one was a crazy dog and the other was a stronger dog, looking at Duke with jaws showing and saliva watering out of his muzzle, while the crazy dog just kept running in circles in his cage, once in awhile hitting Duke's cage bars. Duke was so scared and frightened that all he could do was curl up in a ball and cry inside.

Suddenly, one of the pound workers came and unlocked his cage, Duke knowing what this meant and he tried going away, backing up into the wall and trying to avoid being taken away.

"Come up big doggie, time's up for you." The pound worker said as he caught Duke.

"No! I don't want to go!" Duke shouted, but it only came out as barks to the human.

Duke eventually had to give up the fight and he submitted to the human's will as the worker took him away for good. Back in reality, Duke was shaking so much and causing so much noise that it woke up Max, the Jack Russell terrier wondering what was bothering Duke. Max got up and put his paw on Duke, trying to shake him awake, but Duke was stuck in his nightmare.

Back in his nightmare, Duke was taken to a door that led to a dark and evil room, the place where dogs were put down. The human holding onto Duke opened the door and Duke saw the instrument of his demise, the needle that carried the lethal injection. And while Duke was living his nightmare, Max was still shaking Duke awake.

"Duke." Max said softly.

Duke was led inside and the door closed, leaving just him and the human about to do it alone inside. Duke prepared himself for the end, quietly mumbling his regrets, while the human did all the preparations. While Duke had his eyes closed, saying his regrets over and over again, he heard a little voice inside that sounded familiar.

"Duke." Max's voice rang softly in his head.

The human had the needle all ready and started advancing on Duke, with an evil smile on as he stepped froward. Duke cowered in the corner of the room, panting heavily as the human suddenly took hold of him and made sure Duke couldn't move. He then positioned the needle to pierce Duke's fur.

"Duke." Max's voice said louder as the human came with the needle into Duke.

The human pierced Duke's fur and the needle injected something toxic into the mongrel. Duke felt his heart beat slower and slower and he suddenly felt his life draining away as the the toxic spread throughout his body. It was the end of Duke, in his nightmare that is…

"Duke!" Max's voice said at the loudest and Duke finally snapped out of his nightmare and back into reality.

Duke panted as he looked all around him, seeing the familiar apartment and not darkness of the pound, Duke's eyes eventually came upon the terrier that woke him up.

"Duke? Are you okay?" Max asked, as Duke caught his breath back.

"No, I'm not." Duke replied as he started to shed dome tears.

"What's wrong?" Max asked, with care in his tone.

"I don't want to talk about it." Duke returned, horrified about what he imagined.

"Duke, come on, I'm your brother, and I know by just looking at you that something's really bothering you." Max tried his best for Duke to tell him.

"Okay, I had a nightmare, that Katie never got me and I was put down for good, it's just…" Duke began, but stopped as he sighed, not expecting Max to do anything, instead…

"Duke, it's just a nightmare, it's not true and besides Katie got you and now you're safe and sound here." Max comforted Duke.

Max was right, it only existed as a nightmare and besides, Duke was safe now, living a comfortable life. He was no longer in the pound and he wasn't put down, Katie came and now Duke was in a nice little apartment with his new human owner and his adopted brother.

"Yeah, you're right Max, it's only a nightmare." Duke finally got calmed down and able to speak clearly.

"Here, want me to move my bed next to your's tonight so you'll get some sleep?" Max asked, sounding very sincere.

"I would like that very much." Duke replied and smiled.

Max went back and pushed his bed against Duke's and the terrier returned to settle in to sleep, getting underneath his blanket and making himself comfortable, while Duke did the same. As soon as the two dogs were cozy enough, they went to sleep, but before they did…

"Goodnight Duke, sweet dreams." Max said, with a smile and happy tone.

"Goodnight Max and thanks, for everything." Duke replied, with the same happiness and then closed his eyes.

And so Duke was able to get a goodnight's sleep for the rest of the night, now that Max was right next to him, he was at peace, both in reality and sleep. And it wouldn't be possible if Max didn't wake him up and comfort him, like a good brother should.

* * *

 **That was a little sad… But it's good that Duke has Katie and Max now!**

 **And see you next time!**


End file.
